Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 6, 2026

3D Whole-heart Myocardial Tissue Analysis
Published on: April 12, 2017
A heart within a heart
Edward T Carreras1, Maya Barghash1, Michael M Givertz1
1Heart & Vascular Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Abstract:
A 44-year-old man with a history of end-stage dilated cardiomyopathy status-post orthotopic cardiac transplant 14 years ago presented for coronary angiography in preparation for re-operative tricuspid valve replacement. Coronary angiography revealed an anomalous origin of the left coronary artery, with a common coronary trunk arising from the right coronary cusp and bifurcating into right and left main coronary arteries. Interestingly, the right and left coronary arteries coursed to form the shape of a heart, hence, a heart within a heart! © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Related Concept Videos
Chambers of the Heart
Deoxygenated blood from the body is received in the right...
Anatomy of the Heart
Anatomy of the Heart
The heart has three layers: the innermost endocardium, the muscular myocardium, and the outer epicardium, all working together for optimal cardiac function.
Chambers of the Heart
The heart is made up of four...
Heart Valves
The AV valves prevent the backflow of blood from the ventricles to the atria during ventricular contraction. These valves function with the assistance of the chordae tendineae and papillary muscles. When the ventricles are relaxed, the chordae tendineae are slack, allowing blood to flow from the atria into the...
Location and Orientation of the Heart
Layers of the Heart Wall
The myocardium, the thickest layer, consists of cardiac muscle cells interconnected by intercalated discs and crisscrossing connective tissue fibers. These muscle fibers contract...

